Oracle USA, Inc. v. Rimini Street, Inc.

6 F. Supp. 3d 1086, 110 U.S.P.Q. 2d (BNA) 1045, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18986, 2014 WL 576097
District Court, D. Nevada·Decided February 13, 2014·No. No. 2:10-CV-00106-LRH-PAL·Published·Cited by 6 cases

Opinion

ORDER

LARRY R. HICKS, District Judge.

Before the court is plaintiffs Oracle USA, Inc.; Oracle America, Inc.; and Oracle International Corporation’s (collectively “Oracle”) motion for partial summary judgment on their first cause of action for copyright infringement and on defendant Rimini Street, Inc.’s (“Rimini”) second, third, and sixth affirmative defenses. Doc. # 237.1 Defendant Rimini filed an opposition (Doc. #259) to which Oracle replied (Doc. # 281).

I. Facts and Procedural History

Oracle develops, manufacturers, and licenses computer software, including Enterprise Software programs.2 Oracle is the current owner and/or exclusive licensee for various PeopleSoft, J.D. Edwards, and Siebel-branded Enterprise Software products. Rather than sell the software outright, Oracle licenses the use of the software to customers through software licensing agreements. Oracle also provides software support services to its customers, if requested, through separate software support service contracts.

Defendant Rimini is a company that provides similar software support services to customers licensing Oracle’s Enterprise Software programs and competes directly with Oracle to provide these services.

On January 25, 2010, Oracle filed a complaint alleging that Rimini copied several of Oracle’s copyright protected software programs onto its own computer systems in order to provide software support services to its customers. In its complaint, Oracle alleges thirteen separate causes of action against Rimini: (1) copyright infringement; (2) violation of the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”), 18 U.S.C. §§ 1030(a)(2)(C), (a)(4), & (a)(5); (3) violation of the California Computer Data Access and Fraud Act (“CDAFA”), Cal.Penal Code § 502; (4) violation of Nevada Revised Statutes (“NRS”) § 205.4765; (5) breach of contract; (6) inducement of breach of contract; (7) intentional interference with prospective economic advantage; (8) negligent interference with prospective economic advantage; (9) unfair competition; (10) trespass to chattels; (11) unjust enrichment; (12) unfair practices; and (13) accounting. Doc. # 1.

On March 29, 2010, Rimini filed an answer contesting Oracle’s claims and alleg[1091]*1091ing three counterclaims: (1) defamation, business disparagement, and trade libel; (2) copyright misuse; and (3) unfair competition in violation of California Business and Professional Code, Cal. BPC. § 17200. Doc. # 30. Rimini also raised eleven affirmative defenses to Oracle’s claims: (1) invalid copyrights; (2) express license; (3) consent of use; (4) copyright misuse; (5) improper registration; (6) implied license; (7) merger; (8) statute of limitations; (9) laches; (10) fair use; and (11) limitations on exclusive rights of computer programs under 17 U.S.C. § 117. Id.

In April 2010, Oracle filed an amended complaint (Doc. # 36) to which Rimini filed an amended answer (Doc. # 46) and a motion to dismiss (Doc. # 48). On August 13, 2010, 2010 WL 3257933, the court granted in-part and denied in-part Rimini’s motion, dismissing Oracle’s eighth cause of action for negligent interference with prospective economic advantage. Doc. # 78.

In response to Rimini’s amended answer, Oracle filed a motion to dismiss certain of Rimini’s counterclaims and affirmative defenses. Doc. # 67. On October 29, 2010, 2010 WL 4386957, the court granted in-part and denied in-part Oracle’s motion, dismissing several defamation allegations from Rimini’s first counterclaim for defamation and dismissing the entirety of Rim-ini’s fourth affirmative defense for copyright misuse. Doc. # 111.

In June 2011, Oracle filed a second amended complaint. Doc. # 146. In response, Rimini filed its second amended answer raising six additional affirmative defenses: (12) contract defense; (13) privilege; (14) economic interest; (15) consent; (16) preemption; (17) lack of contract; and (18) mitigation of damages. Doc. # 153. Thereafter, Oracle filed the present motion for partial summary judgment on its first cause of action for copyright infringement and on Rimini’s second, third, and sixth affirmative defenses. Doc. # 237.

II. Legal Standard

Summary .judgment is appropriate only when the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, affidavits 'or declarations, stipulations, admissions, and other materials in the record show that “there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a). In assessing a motion for summary judgment, the evidence, together with all inferences that can reasonably be drawn therefrom, must be read in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion. Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986); Cnty. of Tuolumne v. Sonora Cmty. Hosp., 236 F.3d 1148, 1154 (9th Cir.2001).

The moving party bears the initial burden of informing the court of the basis for its motion, along with evidence showing the absence of any genuine issue of material fact. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). On those issues for which it bears the burden of proof, the moving party must make a showing that is “sufficient for the court to hold that no reasonable trier of fact could find other than for the moving party.” Calderone v. United States, 799 F.2d 254, 259 (6th Cir.1986); see also Idema v. Dreamworks, Inc., 162 F.Supp.2d 1129, 1141 (C.D.Cal.2001).

To successfully rebut a motion for summary judgment, the non-moving party must point to facts supported by the record which demonstrate a genuine issue of material fact: Reese v. Jefferson Sch. Dist. No. 14J, 208 F.3d 736, 738 (9th Cir.2000). A “material fact” is a fact “that might affect the outcome of the suit under the governing law.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). Where rea[1092]*1092sonable minds could differ on the material facts at issue, summary judgment is not appropriate. See v. Durang, 711 F.2d 141, 148 (9th Cir.1983). A dispute regarding a material fact is considered genuine “if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party.” Liberty Lobby, 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505.

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Oracle USA, Inc. v. Rimini Street, Inc., 6 F. Supp. 3d 1086, 110 U.S.P.Q. 2d (BNA) 1045, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18986, 2014 WL 576097 (D. Nev. 2014).

6 F. Supp. 3d 1086 (Oracle USA, Inc. v. Rimini Street, Inc.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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